Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez returned to the dominance he had displayed at Honda in the 2010s as he claimed the 2025 MotoGP championship with Ducati.
The Ant of Cervera put his name in the MotoGP history books with Honda, winning six titles between 2013 and 2019. It was dominance that has not been seen in the sport since.
Marquez’s reign came to an abrupt halt with his crash at Jerez in 2020, and his numerous injury setbacks and Honda’s regression led him to join the Ducati family in 2024.
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After one year at Gresini, the Spaniard moved to the factory team, and it was instantly a match made in heaven. Marquez won 25 races, including Sprints, and won his seventh MotoGP title with four rounds to spare.
While Ducati continued their dominance at the front, Honda made steady progress back towards the front of the field. Johann Zarco led that charge with the manufacturer’s first win since 2023.
Johann Zarco says Marc Marquez would be finishing in the top five on Honda’s MotoGP bike
Zarco produced one of the performances of the season as he won his home race at Le Mans for LCR Honda. He used the wet weather conditions to his advantage to climb from P17 to claim victory.
The Frenchman finished in the top five once more in 2025 with P2 at Silverstone, but struggled for consistency in the second half of the season. Nevertheless, Honda continued their rise as Joan Mir grabbed two podiums after the summer break.
The Japanese giants will now have C-rank concessions in 2026 as they build back to the front. They could be in a position to challenge the frontrunners more regularly, especially if they had Marquez, according to Zarco.
Speaking via Motosan, the LCR rider feels that Marquez would be in the top five on Honda’s bike today. It gives him the hope that he could do it too in 2026.
Prove me wrong: Marc Marquez would not win the MotoGP championship on Honda’s bike today
“If I start as well as I did in 2025, I’ll be very happy.” said Zarco. “Then, I’d like to maintain that pace and stay in the top ten.
“From what I see of the bike, I have the impression that I could eventually even be in the top five. I tell myself that if Márquez were on the Honda, he’d be in the top five. Why not us?
“I announced a top-ten finish in 2025, and we were there. We confirmed it, even though I ended up 12th, having really missed a lot of races. It would therefore be a great pleasure to get closer to the top five and experience more podium finishes in 2026.”
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Marc Marquez turned down a return to Honda for 2027
Given Honda’s improvements and new regulations coming to MotoGP in 2027, Marquez has been linked with a sensational return to the manufacturer.
The 32-year-old’s contract with Ducati is up at the end of 2026, and unsurprisingly, manufacturers have been snooping around and trying to lure him to their project. Marquez wants to have the fastest bike on the grid, but no one knows who will have it in 2027.
Marquez was seriously considering joining Honda, but only on the condition that he could win the championship with their bike. Currently, Ducati have the dominant machine, and the Spaniard’s main intention is now to stay put.
Marquez has reportedly signed a new Ducati contract until 2028, which is due to be announced by the season opener in Thailand. It leaves Honda needing to look at other riders to bring on board in 2027.
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